TEST 10

Part 1. You are going to hear an interview with someone who started the activity
known as “free running”. Listen and answer questions by circling the appropriate
letter A, B, or C.

1. Sebastine says that he does free running because

A. other activities became boring for him
B. it feels like a natural activity
C. it is an individual activity
2. What does Sebastine say about fitness and taking up running?
A. Fit people are keen to do difficult things immediately.
B. People who are not fit don’t learn very quickly.
C. Free running is a good way of getting fit.
3. What does Sebastine say about the danger of free running?
A. It is not as great as some people think.
B. Most free runners pay not attention to it.
C. It is reduced as much as possible
4. What does Sebastine say about his fear of heights?
A. People don’t believe that he has it
B. He always has to overcome it
C. It is not as great as it used to be.
5. What does Sebastine say about where free running can be done?
A. People’s opinions on this are changing.
B. his own opinions on this have changed
C. Some people have the wrong idea on this
Your answers

1 2 3 4 5

Part 2: You will hear a talk on a brief outline of the work of the new department. For
questions 1-10, listen and complete the form below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

DEPARTMENT OF THE PRINTED WORD

STATISTICS
 many different full- and part- time courses
 17 students on the (1) ……………………. MA course and 7 full- time research
students.
 9 full time lecturers
 about (2) ……………………. percent of students are from outside the country
 SPONSORSHIP
 links with organizations in the publishing world.
 sponsorship of students, technicians and (3) …………………….
 outside speakers
 workshops built to expand facilities for book binding and (4) …………………….
TEACHING
 main work is teaching the (5) …………………….
 as most printing is now very technological students, students have to be (6)
…………………….
 for students without the necessary skills, there are specialist technicians who
deliver (7) …………………….in computing
FACILITIES
 in printing, editing, page design and layout, book binding.
 former students are now working as expert book (8) …………………….
RESEARCH
 growing interest in the history of the printed word from early European etc
printing techniques
 a visiting lecturer, Dr Yu, is an expert on early Chinese manuscripts and (9)
…………………….
 department is very popular, with many (10) …………………….for each research
position.
Your answers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. You will hear an interview with a woman who works in a museum. As you
listen, For these questions, decide if you think each statement is true (T), false (F).

1. When she was at school, Clara wanted to become an actress.

2. Clara did not apply for the museum job sooner because her mother advised her to
wait.
3. What surprised Clara on her first day at work was that she had to carry some items.
4. Clara was told to improve her knowledge of computers.
5. Clara enjoys writing descriptions of objects the most.
Your answers
 1 2 3 4 5

B.
Part 1: Choose the answer A, B, C, or D that best completes each of the following
sentences. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (1.0 pt)

1. Instead of gilding _______the photographs added atmosphere - a sense of history.

A. the rose B. the lily C. the daisy D. the jasmine

2. People _______ say that interest rates will have to rise again soon.

A. on the block B. in the bag C. on the level D. in the

know

3. I can't think _______ of anyone who'd be able to help you.

A. on hand B. offhand C. in hand D. at hand

4. If the contract has not been signed by witnesses, it is considered _______.

A. null and void B. nook and cranny C. neck and neck D. nip and
tuck

5. For that he was put to death and there was, in one respect, a _______ justice about it.

A. extreme B. rough C. severe D. tough

6. His future in the job is balanced on a _______.

A. cutting-edge B. razor-edge C. cliff-edge D. knife-edge

7. Take these to your stylist, safe in the _______ that your new look is going to suit you!

A. awareness B. recognition C. knowledge D.

commitment

8. More spaces are needed at less cost not another ______ office block.

A. dark horse B. white elephant C. red herring D. brown

bear

9. She _______ a raw nerve when she mentioned that job he didn't get.
A. touched B. drilled C. pulled D. knocked

10. One wall was filled to ______ with books.

A. overstepping B. overlaying C. overflowing D.

overfilling

11 While we're staying with your grandparents, please don't say anything to_ the horses.

A,agitate B. horrify C. frighten D. deter

12 We had to slog_ nearly a mile of swamp before we reached solid ground.

A,off B,out C,over D,through

13 I don't like spicy food, so I hope this salsa doesn't_ a punch.

A. pack B. bind C. load D.

bundle

14 There's nothing more disheartening than to slog your guts_ on an assignment, only for
the computer to crash and delete all your work.

A. off B. on C. out D. over

15 The road closures have played_ with rush-hour traffic.

A. damage B. havoc C. chaos D. calamity

wreak/play havoc with (someone or something): tàn phá, gây rắc rối và làm gián đoạn
công việc của ai.

16 I take my hat_ to that organization for providing help when no one else does.

A. over B. away C. off D. out

17 Do you remember last night at all?You were as drunk as a……………

A.skunk B,lion C,tiger D,mouse

18 Being able to spend my birthday surrounded by my beautiful children, my gorgeous

husband, and so many wonderful friends, I can truly say my cup runneth_.

A. off B. away C. over D. along

19 I think we should move on to another topic before we_ this one to death.
A,flog B. flay C. cane D. hit

20 With both houses of congress controlled by the opposing political party, the president
is now facing a_ play regarding the federal budget.

A. press B. squeeze C. wedge D. clasp

Part 2
Read the passage below which contains 10 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write
the corrections in the corresponding numbered boxes. There is an example at the
beginning. (10 points)
LINE A MODERN-DAY PROBLEM

1 In the hustle and bustle of today’s hectic world, all of us, without exception,

2 has to contend with some level of stress. Obviously, the source and amount of

3 stress are relatively to the individual. Just as causes and quantities of stress are

4 subject to personal factors, so is the way in that a person deals with them. It is a

5 well-known fact that some people flourish when faced with a potentially stress-

6 causing task or situation. On another hand, the majority of people are adversely

7 affected when confront with a serious dilemma. Abnormal levels of stress can be

8 a serious healthy hazard and may prove detrimental to one’s physical health.

9 Stress is said to be the culprit in a high percent of heart problems and stomach

10 disorders. Even certain types of cancer are, reportedly, linked to stress. Knowing

11 that stress is a modern-day malady which we all, in a greater or lesser extent,

12 suffer from, has prompted many people to begin looking seriously at ways of

13 controlling stress. Due to the inevitable factor that stress will always play a part

14 in our lives, it is of paramount important that strategies of stress management be

15 found.

Your answers:
Line Mistake Correction
0. 2 has have
 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Part 3 For questions 1-10, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered
space
provided.
1. The potential for a recession across most regions of the world will have ramifications
for the prospects of expatriates in ___________ employment. (GAIN)
2. In the past, the majority of women were consigned to a lifetime of ___________ and
poverty. (SERVE)
3. A(n) ___________ ensued at the lab, and Angeli was convicted this week of disorderly
conduct and malicious destruction of property. (ALTER)
4. This had all the makings of another long-running ___________ dispute, when again
wider political events quite unexpectedly overtook the controversy. (ACRID)
5. The ___________ of the community to the king is evident and reflects perhaps the
resentment of a dependent people. (ANIMUS)
6. She had enjoyed the ___________ of colleagues, and the mild flirtation which often
underlay it. (COMRADE)
7. She used her ___________ skills to get along with her remote grandfather, who
provided so little company for her grandmother. (RECONCILE)
8. Although a number of concessions helped ___________ minority nationalists, the most
militant remained unreconciled. (PACE)
9. It encouraged experimenters to propose ___________ or novel approaches to
problems. (BEAT)
10. The Qin's extremism was also its ___________ and it was soon replaced by the more
enduring Han dynasty, which sought compromise with aristocratic elites and legitimation
through a revived Confucianism. (DO)

Part 4 For questions 1 – 8 , read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C
or D) best fits each gap.
British humor
It’s often said that non-native speakers don’t (1) ____ the British sense of humour,
and it’s easy to see why this is so. Almost every conversation between Brits has an
undercurrent of humour, making it difficult for a non-native speaker to (2) ____ when
a Brit is joking or being serious. In addition, the British also have a particular (3)
__________ for understatement. In refusing to be overwhelmed by anything, the
British might retort “Not bad” when they really mean, “That’s great”. Furthermore,
the British don’t like to (4) ____ their own trumpet. They tend to make (5) ____ of
their accomplishments by being excessively modest and (6) ____ themselves down.
But the most difficult part of British humour for foreigners is that much of British
humour is not obviously hilarious and does not result in (7) ___ of laughter. However,
those unaccustomed to British humour need not worry, for the best thing about it is
not something you can learn, it’s something that (8) ___ on you.
1. A find B take C get D have
2. A decipher B analyse C deduce D interpret
3. A attachment B fondness C appreciation D delight
4. A blow B play C hold D boast
5. A bold B sense C nonsense D light
6. A making B putting C cutting D turning
7. A sets B spells C fits D bouts
8. A rests B lands C builds D grows
Part 5.
June 8th is World Oceans Day – an idea instituted by the United Nations to celebrate and
protect our natural heritage. Just as our own central nervous 1)______ controls every part
of our body, so the oceans control every part of our planet. They regulate climate,
weather and ecosystems.
Unfortunately, human activities have led to pollution and the destruction of marine
habitats. Another result of human 2)______ in the natural environment is climate change
with its accompanying extreme weather 3)______. A rise in greenhouse gas emissions
has led to an increase in global temperatures and as a consequence sea levels have risen.
Plastic pollution is also a big issue.

In 2016, as 4)______ of World Oceans Day, thousands of people took part in ‘the better
bag challenge’ and promised to use reusable bags instead of plastic ones. 80 per cent of
plastic rubbish 5)______ on land ends up in the sea, usually washed there via 6)______ –
where rivers empty into the sea. You may have seen such debris washed up onto your
local beach at low 7)______. Most plastic bags are made of polyethene – a 8)______
compound which is not biodegradable. Plastic bags break down into tiny visible
9)______, which are ingested by fish and marine mammals. ‘The better bag challenge’
aims to halt this devastating process and give new 10)______ to our oceans.
Part 6: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.(15pts)

Meteorite Impact and Dinosaur Extinction

There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important
effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to
pose a natural hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite
objects are known to have collided with Earth.

If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire Earth and
cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65 million
years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s
history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet
became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological
record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it
marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great
creatures had flourished. Then, suddenly, they disappeared.

The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite
with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists
first identified this impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from
the dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched
in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant in a meteorite but
very rare in the crust of Earth. Even diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the
crater, this component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had located
the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The crater, now deeply buried in
sediment, was originally about 200 kilometers in diameter.

This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater about

twice as large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted about 100 trillion tons of
dust into the atmosphere, as can be determined by measuring the thickness of the
sediment layer formed when this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material
would have blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging Earth
into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least several months. The explosion is
also calculated to have produced vast quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that
sprayed out over much of Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most
terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental disasters could have
been responsible for the mass extinction, including the death of the dinosaurs.

Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been tentatively
identified with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as the Cretaceous event. But even
without such specific documentation, it is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that
their results can be catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things,
however, may create opportunities for another group. Following each mass extinction,
there is a sudden evolutionary burst as new species develop to fill the ecological niches
opened by the event.

Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global

catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet. According to
some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of species may be due to such impacts.
Such a perspective fundamentally changes our view of biological evolution. The standard
criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and
adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important criterion is the
ability of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due to impacts.

Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent events

that were unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the United States Congress asked
NASA to investigate the hazard posed today by large impacts on Earth. The group
conducting the study concluded from a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can
indeed be hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could occur,
careful study shows that this risk is quite small.

1. In paragraph 2, why does the author include the information that dinosaurs had
flourished for tens of millions of years and then suddenly disappeared?
A. To support the claim that the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is the best-
documented of the dozen or so mass extinctions in the geological record
B. To explain why as many as half of the species on Earth at the time are believed to have
become extinct at the end of the Cretaceous
C. To explain why paleontologists have always been intrigued by the mass extinction at
the end of the Cretaceous
D. To provide evidence that an impact can be large enough to disturb the environment of
the entire planet and cause an ecological disaster
2. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the
meteorite impact in Mexico?
A. The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to
1990.
B. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatán region.
C. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had
occurred.
D. The Yucatán region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site
because of its climate.
3. According to paragraph 3, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had
impacted Earth?
A. They discovered a large crater in the Yucatán region of Mexico.
B. They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide.
C. They were alerted by archaeologists who had been excavating in the Yucatán region.
D. They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons.
4. The word “excavating” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. digging out B. extending C. destroying D. covering up
5. The word “consumed” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. changed B. exposed C. destroyed D. covered
6. According to paragraph 4, all of the following statements are true of the impact at the
end of the Cretaceous period EXCEPT:
A. A large amount of dust blocked sunlight from Earth.
B. Earth became cold and dark for several months.
C. New elements were formed in Earth’s crust.
D. Large quantities of nitric acid were produced.
7. The phrase “tentatively identified” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. identified after careful study
B. identified without certainty
C. occasionally identified
D. easily identified
8. Paragraph 6 supports which of the following statements about the factors that are
essential for the survival of a species?
A. The most important factor for the survival of a species is its ability to compete and
adapt to gradual changes in its environment.
B. The ability of a species to compete and adapt to a gradually changing environment is
not the only ability that is essential for survival.
C. Since most extinctions of species are due to major meteorite impacts, the ability to
survive such impacts is the most important factor for the survival of a species.
D. The factors that are most important for the survival of a species vary significantly
from one species to another.
9. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the following
sentence? “Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent
events that were unsuspected a few decades ago”. Incorrect choices change the meaning
in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Until recently, nobody realized that Earth is exposed to unpredictable violent impacts
from space.
B. In the last few decades, the risk of a random violent impact from space has increased.
C. Since most violent events on Earth occur randomly, nobody can predict when or where
they will happen.
D. A few decades ago, Earth became the target of random violent events originating in
outer space.
10. According to the passage, who conducted investigations about the current dangers
posed by large meteorite impacts on Earth?
A. Paleontologists
B. Geologists
C. The United States Congress
D. NASA
Part 7. Read the passage and answer the questions
Advantages of public transport
A new study conducted for the World Bank by Murdoch University's Institute for
Science and Technology Policy (ISTP) has demonstrated that public transport is more
efficient than cars. The study compared the proportion of wealth poured into transport by
thirty-seven cities around the world. This included both the public and private costs of
building, maintaining and using a transport system.
The study found that the Western Australian city of Perth is a good example of a
city with minimal public transport. As a result, 17% of its wealth went into transport
costs. Some European and Asian cities, on the other hand, spent as little as 5%. Professor
Peter Newman, ISTP Director, pointed out that these more efficient cities were able to
put the difference into attracting industry and jobs or creating a better place to live.
 According to Professor Newman, the larger Australian city of Melbourne is a
rather unusual city in this sort of comparison. He describes it as two cities: ‘A European
city surrounded by a car-dependent one’. Melbourne's large tram network has made car
use in the inner city much lower, but the outer suburbs have the same car-based structure
as most other Australian cities. The explosion in demand for accommodation in the inner
suburbs of Melbourne suggests a recent change in many people's preferences as to where
they live.
Newman says this is a new, broader way of considering public transport issues. In
the past, the case for public transport has been made on the basis of environmental and
social justice considerations rather than economics. Newman, however, believes the
study demonstrates that ‘the auto-dependent city model is inefficient and grossly
inadequate in economic as well as environmental terms’.
Bicycle use was not included in the study but Newman noted that the two most
‘bicycle friendly’ cities considered - Amsterdam and Copenhagen - were very efficient,
even though their public transport systems were ‘reasonable but not special’.
It is common for supporters of road networks to reject the models of cities with
good public transport by arguing that such systems would not work in their particular
city. One objection is climate. Some people say their city could not make more use of
public transport because it is either too hot or too cold. Newman rejects this, pointing out
that public transport has been successful in both Toronto and Singapore and, in fact, he
has checked the use of cars against climate and found ‘zero correlation’.
When it comes to other physical features, road lobbies are on stronger ground. For
example, Newman accepts it would be hard for a city as hilly as Auckland to develop a
really good rail network. However, he points out that both Hong Kong and Zürich have
managed to make a success of their rail systems, heavy and light respectively, though
there are few cities in the world as hilly.
A
In fact, Newman believes the main reason for adopting one sort of transport over
another is politics: ‘The more democratic the process, the more public transport is
favoured.’ He considers Portland, Oregon, a perfect example of this. Some years ago,
federal money was granted to build a new road. However, local pressure groups forced a
referendum over whether to spend the money on light rail instead. The rail proposal won
and the railway worked spectacularly well. In the years that have followed, more and
more rail systems have been put in, dramatically changing the nature of the city. Newman
notes that Portland has about the same population as Perth and had a similar population
density at the time.
B
 In the UK, travel times to work had been stable for at least six centuries, with
people avoiding situations that required them to spend more than half an hour travelling
to work. Trains and cars initially allowed people to live at greater distances without
taking longer to reach their destination. However, public infrastructure did not keep pace
with urban sprawl, causing massive congestion problems which now make commuting
times far higher.
C
There is a widespread belief that increasing wealth encourages people to live
farther out where cars are the only viable transport. The example of European cities
refutes that. They are often wealthier than their American counterparts but have not
generated the same level of car use. In Stockholm, car use has actually fallen in recent
years as the city has become larger and wealthier. A new study makes this point even
more starkly. Developing cities in Asia, such as Jakarta and Bangkok, make more use of
the car than wealthy Asian cities such as Tokyo and Singapore. In cities that developed
later, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank discouraged the building of public
transport and people have been forced to rely on cars - creating the massive traffic jams
that characterize those cities.
D
Newman believes one of the best studies on how cities built for cars might be
converted to rail use is The Urban Village report, which used Melbourne as an example.
It found that pushing everyone into the city centre was not the best approach. Instead, the
proposal advocated the creation of urban villages at hundreds of sites, mostly around
railway stations.
E
It was once assumed that improvements in telecommunications would lead to
more dispersal in the population as people were no longer forced into cities. However, the
ISTP team's research demonstrates that the population and job density of cities rose or
remained constant in the 1980s after decades of decline. The explanation for this seems to
be that it is valuable to place people working in related fields together. ‘The new world
will largely depend on human creativity, and creativity flourishes where people come
together face-to-face.’
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of heading below
List of headings
i. Avoiding an overcrowded centre
ii. A successful exercise in people power
iii. The benefits of working together in cities
iv. Higher incomes need not mean more cars
v. Economic arguments fail to persuade
vi. The impact of telecommunications on population distribution
vii. Responding to arguments against public transport

1. Paragraph A: ___________
2. Paragraph B: ___________
3. Paragraph C: ___________
4. Paragraph D: ___________
5. Paragraph E: ___________
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
6. The ISTP study examined public and private systems in every city of the world
7. Efficient cities can improve the quality of life for their inhabitants
8. AN inner-city tram network is dangerous for car drivers
9. In Melbourne, people prefer to live in the outer suburbs
10. Cites with high levels of bicycle usage can be efficient even when public transport is
only averagely good.
Part 8
1. concerned about the breadth of the subject?

2. unsure about how useful the skills developed on the course would be?

3. surprised by how scientific the course was?

4. frustrated by a lack of definite answers?

5. amused by certain perceptions of the subject?

6. inspired by the opportunity to work independently?

7. proud to have made a difficult decision?

8. appreciative of the support available?

9. impressed by the popularity of the course?

10. fascinated by a particular topic area within psychology

 Studying psychology

A
When I was at school and still considering whether to apply to do psychology, a teacher
warned me that it involved a great deal of science. I didn’t realise at the time, though, the
extent to which it does relate to science. Given the rather superficial understanding of
psychology that most non-specialists have, however, perhaps it’s to be expected that
people have little idea of the amount of science that it involves. But whatever area of
psychology you’re talking about - and there are many of them - I soon discovered that
there are always numbers, statistics, trials and evidence to get to grips with, and in the
process of doing so, you develop a repertoire of competencies. When I first walked into a
psychology lecture and saw that every seat in the auditorium was taken, I was stunned.
I’ve got used to that over the three years of my degree and it’s reassuring in a way to
think that there are many other people my age who recognise both the practical and sheer
interest value to be gained from the subject.
B
When I tell people I’m studying psychology, they often say things like ‘Can you read my
mind, then?’ or ‘Can you give me some advice about a problem?’ This used to get on my
nerves. How could anyone be so ignorant, particularly given the large numbers of people
that study psychology? I tend to sec the humorous side of it these days, though. One plus
is the wide ground that psychology covers - more than most would imagine - from
genetics to the psychology of organisations. The latter might not sound very glamorous,
but it’s something that intrigues me greatly and, hopefully, is an area I can find
employment in at some point. Whatever aspect of psychology you look at, however, it’s
important to take a critical approach. That’s drummed into us from the word go. We’re
also always encouraged to work with other students, as well as on our own, and to seek
advice from °ur tutors whenever we’re faced with anything we feel we can’t deal with by
ourselves. This has been tremendous lor me personally.
C
At school, the idea of being a doctor had always appealed to me. A few months into my
first year studying medicine, however, 1 began to feel that I wasn’t suited to it after all,
and 1 managed to switch to psychology. It was quite traumatic, giving up the prospect of
a great career and disappointing my parents. They had very little idea about what my new
subject involved and whether I’d learn anything from it that could set me up for a good
job. To be honest, I was far from convinced myself initially. With hindsight, however, I
know I did the right thing, and 1 derive a certain satisfaction from having gone ahead
with the move. Frankly, it puzzles me why more people don’t end up doing the same.
There’s so much to psychology, including a scientific emphasis, which, given my
background, I’m comfortable with. It can take you down all sorts of exciting career paths.

D
It would be wrong to say that I had a clear idea about what a psychology degree entailed
when I applied to do one, but I think 1 made the right choice. At school, I loved science
and I was advised that, although people often don’t think of psychology as a science, it
would suit me - and that proved to be the case. One thing about my degree is that it’s
incredibly diverse. The terms neuro-, educational, forensic, clinical and sports, for
example, all precede psychology to describe well-established fields, and I must admit
that, initially, I found this somewhat overwhelming. I also struggled with the notion that
any idea or ‘fact’ has to be endlessly cross-examined and debated, to the extent that you
doubt whether you know anything for certain. This still irritates me sometimes, but I can
live with it. I’m in my third year now, and doing a project which involves some research
and then delivering a presentation and submitting a written report. It’s complex, but
doing it on my own is exciting and has made me think about a career in which research
plays a part.

Part 9
You are going to read an article about the impact of the Internet on our lives. Six
paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs A – G
the one which fits each gap (41-46). There is one extra paragraph which you do not
need to use.

How the Internet is altering your mind

Like most newspapers’ content, what you are about to read was written using a computer
connected to the Internet. Obviously, this had no end of benefits, mostly pertaining to the
relative ease of my research and the simplicity of contacting the people whose thoughts
and opinions you are about to read.

41 ………………..

It often feels as if all this frantic activity creates a constant state of twitchy anxiety.
Moreover, having read a hotly controversial book about the effect of digital media on the
human mind, I may have very good reason to feel scared. Its thesis is simple enough: not
only that the modern world’s relentless informational overload is killing our capacity for
reflection, contemplation and patience but that our online habits are also altering the very
structure of our brains.

42 …………

The writer then argues that the Internet’s ‘cacophony of stimuli’ and ‘crazy quilt’ of
information have given rise to ‘cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking, and
superficial learning’ – in contrast to the age of the book, when intelligent humans were
encouraged to be contemplative and imaginative.

43 …………

Dr Small, the director of the Memory and Ageing Research Centre at the University of
California, Los Angeles, is a specialist in the effects on the brain of the ageing process.
‘Even an old brain can be quite malleable and responsive to what’s going on with
technology,’ he tells me.

44 ……………..

When I ask him how I might stop the Internet’s more malign effects on my own brain, he
sounds slightly more optimistic than Carr: ‘Try to balance online time with offline time,’
he tells me. ‘What’s happening is, we’re losing the circadian rhythms we’re used to; you
go to work, you come home, you spend time talking with your kids.’

45 ………………

‘His argument privileges activities of the skimming and browsing kind. But if you look at
research on kids doing this, or exploring virtual worlds such as Second Life,the argument
there is about immersion and engagement.’

46 ……………
This all sounds both comforting and convincing, until I return to The Shallows and read a
particularly sobering sentence: ‘We are welcoming the frenziedness into our souls.’
There’s something chilling about those words and even twenty stupid minutes on
YouTube and an impulse buy from Amazon cannot quite remove them from my brain.

A
But here is the really important thing. Carr writes: ‘If, knowing what we know today
about the brain’s plasticity, you were to set out to invent a medium that would rewire our
mental circuits as quickly and thoroughly as possible, you would probably end up
designing something that looks and works a lot like the Internet.’

В
The Shallows is a book by Nicholas Carr. It is an elegantly written cry of anguish about
what one admirer calls ‘the uneducating of Homo sapiens’ and a rewiring of neural
pathways and networks that may yet deprive the human race of the talents that, ironically
enough, drove our journey from caves to PC terminals.

C
‘The point is, to play successfully, you have to pay an incredible amount of attention to
what your team-mates are doing, to the mechanics of the game. You can set up a thesis
for The Depths, just as much as The Shallows. And it seems to me that to say that some
neural pathways are good and some are bad – well, how can you possibly say that?’

D
‘It’s a basic principle that the brain is very sensitive to any kind of stimulation. If you
have repeated stimuli, your neural circuits will be excited. But if you neglect other
stimuli, other neural circuits will be weakened.’ Carr argues that the online world so taxes
the parts of the brain that deal with fleeting and temporary stuff that deep thinking
becomes increasingly impossible. As he sees it: ‘Our ability to learn suffers and our
understanding remains shallow.’
E
Among the people with walk-on roles in The Shallows is Scott Karp, the editor of a
renowned American digital media blog called Publish2, whose reading habits are held up
as proof of the fact that plenty of people’s brains have long since been rewired by their
enthusiastic use of the Internet.

F
I get a more convincing antidote to the Carr thesis from Professor Andrew Burn of the
University of London’s Institute of Education. Equating the Internet with distraction and
shallowness, he tells me, is a fundamental mistake, possibly bound up with Carr’s age (he
is fifty). ‘Is there anything in his book about online role-playing games?’

G
But then there is the downside. The tool I use to write can also double as many other
things. Thus, while writing this, I was entertained by no end of distractions. I watched
YouTube videos, bought something on Amazon and at downright stupid hours of the day
– 6 a.m. or almost midnight – I once again checked my email on either my phone or
computer.
KEY

A.
Part 1. You are going to hear an interview with someone who started the activity
known as “free running”. Listen and answer questions by circling the appropriate
letter A, B, or C.

1. B 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. C
Part 2. You will hear a talk on a brief outline of the work of the new department. For
questions 1-10, listen and complete the form below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

1. taught 2. 21 3. lectures 4. restoration 5. mechanics of

printing
 6. computer 7. crash programs 8. restorers and 9. printing 10. applications
literate conservationists machines

Part 3. You will hear an interview with a woman who works in a museum. As you
listen, For these questions, decide if you think each statement is true (T), false (F).

1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T

Part I. Listen and choose the correct answer

Source: FCE Test Builder (Test 2 – part 4)

Tapescript:

Interviewer: Sébastien Foucan is the co-founder and pioneer of free running, a physical
discipline in which participants move through, across and over all sorts of
obstacles and structures in a smooth and fluid way. People do free running
in gyms, in the street and on buildings. He's appeared in movies and TV
documentaries, performing spectacular movements. Sébastien, you
routinely jump across rooftops to get from A to B. Why, exactly?
Sébastien: It's always been a real passion for me, but I think it's become more than that.
It's a part of my life. It's like asking someone, 'Why are you walking?' They
say it's simply because they can, and for me it's the same with free running.
When we were young, my friend and I used to practise climbing around,
just like any kids. We just kept moving, never stopped, until it turned into
something special. First it turned into a lifestyle, and then into a real
discipline.
Interviewer: Just watching you in action makes me tired! Do you have to be fit to be a
free runner?
Sébastien: To start with, you don't have to be so fit. In fact, I often prefer beginners who
start with not such a healthy body. If you can't do stuff because your body
is not ready, you naturally start at a low level. When you get somebody
 who has done some sport, they often want to do something too impressive
too soon.
Interviewer: Just one wrong step could see you fall and splatter on the floor,
though. Surely it's just too dangerous?
Sébastien: Yeah, of course there is risk - but there is risk everywhere. When you're
driving a car, you can have an accident. We fly on planes and just accept
that there won't be an accident. We make it as safe as we can, but we know
something can happen. It's the same with free running. There is danger, but
we try to do it properly.
Interviewer: Would you say you're a risk-taker?
Sébastien: No, because everything I do is calculated. It's not like everything is 100 per
cent safe, but I'm always thinking of the safest way to do what I'm doing.
I'm not afraid of using wires in movies or putting crash mats down for big
jumps. You have to be clever.
Interviewer: What went through your mind when you jumped across the Millennium
Stadium roof?
Sébastien: I thought to myself, 'I know this jump, I know I can do it'. I used to do track
and field, and my best for the long jump is 7.10m. This jump was between
three and four metres, so I had a margin of safety. The weather was good
and there was no one around, so I had no stress. We put a crash mat down
below. You could always miss it, but it's better than nothing.
Interviewer: Are you basically just fearless?
Sébastien: People think I have no fear, but that is not true. I have vertigo, for example,
but I know my body very well because I do everything step by step. It's
about focus and concentration. Okay, I'm afraid of heights, but I just focus
on something else and try not to think about it.
Interviewer: You've traditionally stuck to urban areas, but would you like to try further
afield?
Sébastien: I would like to try Africa and the natural environment. People think free
 running is only about the city, but it's not. You can use trees and rocks, and
even swim. You have to open your mind and not restrict yourself.
Interviewer: Well, Sébastien, good luck with everything, and thanks for talking to me.
Sébastien: Pleasure.

PART 2

Source: IELTS Testbuilder 2 by Sam McCarter. Test 2 Section 4 Listening

Tapescript:

I am here to give you a brief outline of the work of this new department. The
Department of the Printed Word has a very short history, having been created just ten
years ago. Some statistics to star with. The first intake of undergraduate students
consisted of 20 students, which rose to 37 in the second year and we now have about 50
in the first year, doing a wide range of courses, full and part-time. We have thriving
research department with 17 students on the taught MA course and 7 students doing
research full-time. In all we have 9 full-time lecturers and 16 part-time lecturers who
work mainly but not exclusively in our evening department. Of the total student body,
approximately 21 percent are from outside the county, a number which has been
increasing steadily over recent years.

Althought students from overseas have to reach a minimum level of competence in

English before they follow a course at the university, some may require remedial help
with their English and we can offer help through the Student Support Services as part of
the general assistance given to all students. For home students, both graduate and
undergraduate, there are bursaries to help with travel and accommodation, for which I
would advise you to contact Mrs Riley at the end of this session.

Increasingly, we are forging external links with organizations in the publishing

world. And we have been very fortunate in that we have received money to sponsor not
just various students within the department but also technicians and lecturers. Each year
we hold a series of lecturers, which are given by external speakers in the world of
printing and the media. The series of workshops that you see around you have been built
thanks to a very generous donation which has allowed us to develop our facilities for
book binding and restoration.

Now the main work of the department relates to teaching the mechanism of
printing and as most printing is now so highly technological, all our students have to be
computer-literate. For those of you who are interested in taking a module in this
department from another department and who feel that you may not have the necessary
computer skills, don't let the technology put you off. We have a number of specialist
technicians who can support and deliver crash programmes in the computing technology
required. As long as you can switch on the compuetr you are half way there.

Question

We have what can only be called state-of-the-art facilities especially for those
wishing to move into the publishing world working not just as printers, but also in
editing, page design, layout and book-binding. With the extensive facilities we have for
book restoration, some of our former students are now employed as expert book restorers
and conservationists, skill which were once almost dying out. In the display you will
notice samples of work on book cover design, and as well as having all the necessary
computer programmes for dealing with printing we have some old printing presses.

Despite being largely a modern department, we do have an increasing interest in

reseach into the history of the printed word, ranging from early European to Chinese and
Japanese printing techniques. We have in fact some very well-known experts on early
printing in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. If this area appeals to you, you can talk
to Dr Fred Clare afterwards. From China we are lucky to have as a visting lecturer Dr Yu,
who is an authority on early Chinese manuscripts and printing machines. If you are
thinking about doing a module with us or you are interested in doing research after you
have finished your first degree, the person to talk to is Professor Clarkson who will be
able to give you all the details. For postgraduate research, you should really be thinking
about applying now even though we are only in December, as the department now
attracts large numbers of people and we always have many applications of each research
position.

TAPESCRIPT FOR PART 3

My guest today is Clara Thomas, who has an interest in job in the museum of history.

- Clara, did you always want to work in the museum?

- Hello, Oh, no. At school most of my mates wanted to be lawyers and I was dreaming of
being a teacher. When my best friend got a small part in a film, not my favorite job, I
thought she was so lucky. At fifteen she had the job she wanted. I wanted to go to college
to study history, then I saw this museum job advertised.

- So you decided to apply.

- Well, they wanted someone to organize the museum collections, for example old coins
or ancient vases, very valuable pieces. It was a big responsibility. But that’s what I
wanted. I didn’t apply immediately though. I was afraid it wasn’t interesting work on my
own with no one to talk to. It took me two weeks to apply. My mother was really upset.

- And you got the job.

- Yes, I won’t never forget my first day. I was introduced to all my colleagues. They were
very friendly. One of them read a little speech. She wrote it to welcome me. Then
somebody said there were some big boxes. They were the museum objects for me
downstairs. Could I go and get them? I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t say anything. I just did
it. They were very heavy.

- Was anything else easier?

- Not really. I had to work with computers and it was very useful. I’m not good with
numbers though. As part of my job, I had to look at the objects the museum wanted to
buy, usually from the private collectors. For that you need to understand basic
mathematics. My boss said I definitely should do something about it. And I did. I had to
give up my French study to make time for that.
- So what part of your job did you enjoy most?

- I spent a lot of time writing short history of museum objects, what they looked like,
where they were found. I find this research work much more exciting than preparing an
important exhibition. I was also afraid people might not like the exhibition. I don’t get
much the chance to talk to visitors. But I like reading the comments they write on the
visitors’ book.

- Well, you’re doing a great job. Any plans for the future?

- Yes, I must make some progress in my history study. But it would take me years to get
my degree because I’m studying in part time now. Next year will be exciting. We’ll have
a special exhibition on African history of museum. Our master keeps me very busy. We
have a lot of visitors from all over the world.

- Clara, thank you for talking to us.

B.
Part 1:

1. B 2.D 3.B 4.A 5.B 6.D 7.C 8.B 9.A 10.C

11C 12D 13A 14 C 15B 16C 17A 18C 19 A

20B

1. Instead of gilding _______the photographs added atmosphere - a sense of history.

A. the rose B. the lily C. the daisy D. the jasmine

'Gild the lily' có từ gild là mạ vàng hay đánh bóng cho sáng chói và lily là hoa huệ -> mạ
vàng một đóa hoa huệ; cụm từ này chỉ một hành động tô điểm hay làm đẹp thêm một
cách vô ích những gì đã đẹp sẵn rồi

2. People _______ say that interest rates will have to rise again soon.

A. on the block B. in the bag C. on the level D. in the

know

in the know = having information possessed only by a small group of people =biết rõ sự
việc

3. I can't think _______ of anyone who'd be able to help you.

A. on hand B. offhand C. in hand D. at hand

Offhand = without looking for information and without thinking carefully; immediately

4. If the contract has not been signed by witnesses, it is considered _______.

A. null and void B. nook and cranny C. neck and neck D. nip and
tuck

null and void = having no legal force

5. For that he was put to death and there was, in one respect, a _______ justice about it.

A. extreme B. rough C. severe D. tough

Rough justice" = công lý thô bạo -> trừng phạt/ khen thưởng ai một cách không công
bằng, nhất là không hợp pháp.

6. His future in the job is balanced on a _______.

A. cutting-edge B. razor-edge C. cliff-edge D. knife-edge

Be/sitting on a knife-edge" = ngồi trên lưỡi dao -> nghĩa là (trạng thái) lo lắng bồn chồn,
như ngồi trên đống lửa

7. Take these to your stylist, safe in the _______ that your new look is going to suit you!

A. awareness B. recognition C. knowledge D.

commitment

secure/safe in the knowledge that = not worried because you are sure that nothing bad
will happen

8. More spaces are needed at less cost not another ______ office block.

A. dark horse B. white elephant C. red herring D. brown

bear

white elephant = something that has cost a lot of money but has no useful purpose

9. She _______ a raw nerve when she mentioned that job he didn't get.

A. touched B. drilled C. pulled D. knocked

hit/touch a (raw) nerve = to upset someone

10. One wall was filled to ______ with books.

A. overstepping B. overlaying C. overflowing D.

overfilling

overflow with =1. To be so filled with something that the contents spill out over the edge
of the container. // 2. To have an abundance of something, especially an emotion or
characteristic, such that it seems like someone or something can't contain it.

11 While we're staying with your grandparents, please don't say anything to_ the horses.

A,agitate B. horrify C. frighten D. deter

frighten the horses: gây sốc, khiến ai kinh ngạc, khiếp đảm, hoảng sợ.

12 We had to slog_ nearly a mile of swamp before we reached solid ground.

A,off B,out C,over D,through

slog through something: làm việc vất vả và kiên trì để hoàn thành cái gì. Nghĩa khác là
lội qua, lê chân đi qua (bùn, tuyết).

13 I don't like spicy food, so I hope this salsa doesn't_ a punch.

A. pack B. bind C. load D.

bundle

pack a punch/wallop: tung đòn mạnh mẽ hoặc cái gì đó có sức ảnh hưởng mạnh mẽ

14 There's nothing more disheartening than to slog your guts_ on an assignment, only for
the computer to crash and delete all your work.

A. off B. on C. out D. over

flog/work/slog your guts out: làm việc chăm

15 The road closures have played_ with rush-hour traffic.

A. damage B. havoc C. chaos D. calamity

wreak/play havoc with (someone or something): tàn phá, gây rắc rối và làm gián đoạn
công việc của ai.

16 I take my hat_ to that organization for providing help when no one else does.
A. over B. away C. off D. out

take one’s hat off to (sb or sth): chào, chúc mừng, vinh danh ai/ điều gì

17 Do you remember last night at all?You were as drunk as a……………

A.skunk B,lion C,tiger D,mouse

drunk as a skunk/lord: say rượu, rất say, say bí

18 Being able to spend my birthday surrounded by my beautiful children, my gorgeous

husband, and so many wonderful friends, I can truly say my cup runneth_.

A. off B. away C. over D. along

one’s cup runneth over: có quá nhiều điều tốt đẹp cũng như lợi ích đến với ai khiến
người đó choáng ngợp

19 I think we should move on to another topic before we_ this one to death.

A,flog B. flay C. cane D. hit

flog/beat something to death: bàn tán, lải nhải mãi về một vấn đề khiến ai đó phát chán,
không còn hứng thú nữa.

20 With both houses of congress controlled by the opposing political party, the president
is now facing a_ play regarding the federal budget.

A. press B. squeeze C. wedge D. clasp

squeeze play: kiểu chơi gây sức ép/ áp lực tới đối phương; sự ép đối phương bỏ những
quân bài quan trọng để giành thắng lợi/ ghi bàn

Part 2.

Line Mistakes Corrections

0. 2 has have
1. 3 relatively relative
2. 4 (in) that (in) which
3. 5 them it
4. 6 another the other
 5. 7 confront confronted
6. 8 healthy health
7. 9 percent percentage
8. 11 in (a greater or ... extent) to (a greater or ... extent)
9. 13 factor fact
10. 14 inportant importance

Part 3
1.gainful: có lợi nhuận
2.servitude: thân phận phục dịch, tôi tớ
3.altercation: cuộc tranh cãi
4.acrimonious: gay gắt
5.animosity: sự thù địch
6.camaraderie: tình bằng hữu
7.conciliatory: hòa giải
8.pacify: xoa dịu
9.offbeat: khác lạ
10.undoing: lý do thất bại

Part 4
1C 2A 3B 4A 5D 6B 7C 8D
It’s often said that non-native speakers don’t (1) ____ the British sense of humour,
and it’s easy to see why this is so. Almost every conversation between Brits has an
undercurrent of humour, making it difficult for a non-native speaker to (2) ____ when
a Brit is joking or being serious. In addition, the British also have a particular (3)
__________ for understatement. In refusing to be overwhelmed by anything, the
British might retort “Not bad” when they really mean, “That’s great”. Furthermore,
the British don’t like to (4) ____ their own trumpet. They tend to make (5) ____ of
their accomplishments by being excessively modest and (6) ____ themselves down.
 But the most difficult part of British humour for foreigners is that much of British
humour is not obviously hilarious and does not result in (7) ___ of laughter. However,
those unaccustomed to British humour need not worry, for the best thing about it is
not something you can learn, it’s something that (8) ___ on you.
1. A find B take C get D have
get sense of humour
2. A decipher B analyse C deduce D interpret
Decipher = to discover the meaning of something written badly or in a difficult or
hidden way
3. A attachment B fondness C appreciation D delight
Have a fondness for = have a great liking for someone or something
4. A blow B play C hold D boast
blow one's own trumpet = to talk about oneself or one's achievements especially in a
way that shows that one is proud or too proud
5. A bold B sense C nonsense D light
Make light of sth = xem nhe, coi nhẹ điều gì
6. A making B putting C cutting D turning
put sb down =to make someone feel silly or not important by criticizing them
7. A sets B spells C fits D bouts
fit of laughter= a sudden occurrence of laughing very much
8. A rests B lands C builds D grows
grow on sb=if someone or something grows on you, you like him, her, or it more and
more than you did at first
Part 5.
1. system
2. intervention
3. conditions
4. part
5. produced
6. estuaries
7. tide
8. chemical
9. particles
10. life
Part 6 1.C 2. C 3. B 4A 5. C
6. C 7. B 8. B 9.A 10. D
There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important
effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to
pose a natural hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite
objects are known to have collided with Earth.

If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire Earth and
cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65 million
years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s
history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet
became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological
record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it
marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great
creatures had flourished. Then, suddenly, they disappeared.

The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite
with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists
first identified this impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from
the dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched
in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant in a meteorite but
very rare in the crust of Earth. Even diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the
crater, this component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had located
the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The crater, now deeply buried in
sediment, was originally about 200 kilometers in diameter.

This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater about

twice as large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted about 100 trillion tons of
dust into the atmosphere, as can be determined by measuring the thickness of the
sediment layer formed when this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material
would have blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging Earth
into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least several months. The explosion is
also calculated to have produced vast quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that
sprayed out over much of Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most
terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental disasters could have
been responsible for the mass extinction, including the death of the dinosaurs.

Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been tentatively
identified with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as the Cretaceous event. But even
without such specific documentation, it is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that
their results can be catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things,
however, may create opportunities for another group. Following each mass extinction,
there is a sudden evolutionary burst as new species develop to fill the ecological niches
opened by the event.

Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global

catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet. According to
some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of species may be due to such impacts.
Such a perspective fundamentally changes our view of biological evolution. The standard
criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and
adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important criterion is the
ability of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due to impacts.
 Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent events
that were unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the United States Congress asked
NASA to investigate the hazard posed today by large impacts on Earth. The group
conducting the study concluded from a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can
indeed be hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could occur,
careful study shows that this risk is quite small.

1. In paragraph 2, why does the author include the information that dinosaurs had
flourished for tens of millions of years and then suddenly disappeared?
A. To support the claim that the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is the best-
documented of the dozen or so mass extinctions in the geological record
B. To explain why as many as half of the species on Earth at the time are believed to have
become extinct at the end of the Cretaceous
C. To explain why paleontologists have always been intrigued by the mass extinction at
the end of the Cretaceous
D. To provide evidence that an impact can be large enough to disturb the environment of
the entire planet and cause an ecological disaster
1. Ở đoạn 2, tại sao tác giả lại đưa vào thông tin loài khủng long đã phát triển rực rỡ hàng
chục triệu năm rồi đột ngột biến mất?
A. Để hỗ trợ cho tuyên bố rằng vụ tuyệt chủng hàng loạt vào cuối kỷ Phấn trắng là tài
liệu tốt nhất trong số hàng chục vụ tuyệt chủng hàng loạt trong hồ sơ địa chất
B. Để giải thích tại sao có đến một nửa số loài trên Trái đất vào thời điểm đó được cho là
đã tuyệt chủng vào cuối kỷ Phấn trắng
C. Để giải thích tại sao các nhà cổ sinh vật học luôn bị hấp dẫn bởi sự tuyệt chủng hàng
loạt vào cuối kỷ Phấn trắng
D. Cung cấp bằng chứng rằng một tác động có thể đủ lớn để làm xáo trộn môi trường của
toàn bộ hành tinh và gây ra một thảm họa sinh thái
Clue: While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological record, the
Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it marks the end
of the age of the dinosaurs.= Trong khi có hàng chục vụ tuyệt chủng hàng loạt trở lên
trong hồ sơ địa chất, vụ tuyệt chủng hàng loạt trong kỷ Phấn trắng luôn khiến các nhà cổ
sinh vật học tò mò vì nó đánh dấu sự kết thúc của thời đại khủng long.
2. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the
meteorite impact in Mexico?
A. The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to
1990.
B. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatán region.
C. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had
occurred.
D. The Yucatán region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site
because of its climate.
2. Điều nào sau đây có thể được suy ra từ đoạn 3 về vị trí của vụ va chạm thiên thạch ở
Mexico?
A. Vị trí của địa điểm va chạm ở Mexico được các nhà địa chất giữ bí mật từ năm 1980
đến 1990.
B. Một thực tế nổi tiếng là tác động đã xảy ra ở vùng Yucatán.
C. Các nhà địa chất biết rằng đã có một tác động nào đó trước khi họ biết nó xảy ra ở đâu.
D. Vùng Yucatán được các nhà địa chất chọn là nơi có khả năng xảy ra tác động mạnh
nhất vì khí hậu của nó.
Clue: Scientists first identified this impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment
deposited from the dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment
layer is enriched in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant
in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth. Even diluted by the terrestrial material
excavated from the crater, this component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990
geologists had located the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico= Các nhà
khoa học lần đầu tiên xác định tác động này vào năm 1980 từ lớp trầm tích trên toàn thế
giới lắng đọng từ đám mây bụi bao phủ hành tinh sau vụ va chạm. Lớp trầm tích này
được làm giàu trong kim loại hiếm iridi và các nguyên tố khác tương đối nhiều trong
thiên thạch nhưng rất hiếm trong vỏ Trái đất. Ngay cả khi bị pha loãng bởi vật liệu trên
cạn được khai quật từ miệng núi lửa, thành phần này của thiên thạch cũng dễ dàng được
xác định. Đến năm 1990, các nhà địa chất đã xác định được vị trí va chạm ở vùng
Yucatán của Mexico.
3. According to paragraph 3, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had
impacted Earth?
A. They discovered a large crater in the Yucatán region of Mexico.
B. They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide.
C. They were alerted by archaeologists who had been excavating in the Yucatán region.
D. They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons.
3. Theo đoạn 3, làm thế nào các nhà khoa học xác định được rằng một thiên thạch lớn đã
va chạm vào Trái đất?
A. Họ đã phát hiện ra một miệng núi lửa lớn ở vùng Yucatán của Mexico.
B. Họ đã tìm thấy một lớp trầm tích độc nhất vô nhị trên toàn thế giới.
C. Họ đã được cảnh báo bởi các nhà khảo cổ học đang khai quật ở vùng Yucatán.
D. Họ định vị được một thiên thạch có khối lượng hơn nghìn tỷ tấn.
Clue: Scientists first identified this impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment
deposited from the dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment
layer is enriched in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant
in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth= Các nhà khoa học lần đầu tiên xác định
tác động này vào năm 1980 từ lớp trầm tích trên toàn thế giới lắng đọng từ đám mây bụi
bao phủ hành tinh sau vụ va chạm. Lớp trầm tích này được làm giàu trong kim loại hiếm
iridi và các nguyên tố khác tương đối nhiều trong thiên thạch nhưng rất hiếm trong vỏ
Trái đất.
4. The word “excavating” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. digging out B. extending C. destroying D. covering up
Excavate = chiết suất
5. The word “consumed” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. changed B. exposed C. destroyed D. covered
Consume= phá hủy
6. According to paragraph 4, all of the following statements are true of the impact at the
end of the Cretaceous period EXCEPT:
A. A large amount of dust blocked sunlight from Earth.
B. Earth became cold and dark for several months.
C. New elements were formed in Earth’s crust.
D. Large quantities of nitric acid were produced.
6. Theo đoạn 4, tất cả các câu sau đây đều đúng về tác động vào cuối kỷ Phấn trắng
NGOẠI TRỪ:
A. Một lượng lớn bụi đã chặn ánh sáng Mặt trời từ Trái đất.
B. Trái đất trở nên lạnh và tối trong vài tháng.
C. Các nguyên tố mới được hình thành trong vỏ Trái đất.
D. Một lượng lớn axit nitric đã được sản xuất.
Clue: Such a quantity of material would have blocked the sunlight completely from
reaching the surface, plunging Earth into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least
several months. The explosion is also calculated to have produced vast quantities of nitric
acid and melted rock that sprayed out over much of Earth, starting widespread fires that
must have consumed most terrestrial forests and grassland.= Một lượng vật chất như vậy
sẽ chặn hoàn toàn ánh sáng mặt trời chiếu tới bề mặt, đẩy Trái đất vào một thời kỳ lạnh
giá và bóng tối kéo dài ít nhất vài tháng. Vụ nổ cũng được tính là đã tạo ra một lượng lớn
axit nitric và đá tan chảy phun ra phần lớn Trái đất, bắt đầu các đám cháy lan rộng mà
chắc hẳn đã thiêu rụi hầu hết các khu rừng trên cạn và đồng cỏ.
7. The phrase “tentatively identified” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. identified after careful study
B. identified without certainty
C. occasionally identified
D. easily identified
7. Cụm từ “xác định tạm thời” trong đoạn 5 gần nghĩa nhất với
A. được xác định sau khi nghiên cứu cẩn thận
B. được xác định mà không chắc chắn
C. thỉnh thoảng được xác định
D. dễ dàng xác định
8. Paragraph 6 supports which of the following statements about the factors that are
essential for the survival of a species?
A. The most important factor for the survival of a species is its ability to compete and
adapt to gradual changes in its environment.
B. The ability of a species to compete and adapt to a gradually changing environment is
not the only ability that is essential for survival.
C. Since most extinctions of species are due to major meteorite impacts, the ability to
survive such impacts is the most important factor for the survival of a species.
D. The factors that are most important for the survival of a species vary significantly
from one species to another.
8. Đoạn văn 6 hỗ trợ phát biểu nào sau đây về các yếu tố cần thiết cho sự tồn tại của một
loài?
A. Yếu tố quan trọng nhất đối với sự tồn tại của loài là khả năng cạnh tranh và thích nghi
với sự thay đổi dần dần của môi trường.
B. Khả năng cạnh tranh và thích nghi của một loài với môi trường thay đổi dần không
phải là khả năng duy nhất cần thiết cho sự tồn tại.
C. Vì hầu hết các sự tuyệt chủng của các loài là do các tác động lớn của thiên thạch, nên
khả năng sống sót sau các tác động đó là yếu tố quan trọng nhất đối với sự tồn tại của một
loài.
D. Các yếu tố quan trọng nhất đối với sự tồn tại của loài thay đổi đáng kể ở mỗi loài.
Clue: The standard criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with
other species and adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important
criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due
to impacts.= Tiêu chí tiêu chuẩn cho sự tồn tại của một loài là thành công trong việc cạnh
tranh với các loài khác và thích nghi với môi trường thay đổi chậm. Tuy nhiên, một tiêu
chí quan trọng không kém là khả năng của một loài sống sót sau các thảm họa sinh thái
toàn cầu ngẫu nhiên do các tác động.
9. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the following
sentence? “Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent
events that were unsuspected a few decades ago”. Incorrect choices change the meaning
in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Until recently, nobody realized that Earth is exposed to unpredictable violent impacts
from space.
B. In the last few decades, the risk of a random violent impact from space has increased.
C. Since most violent events on Earth occur randomly, nobody can predict when or where
they will happen.
D. A few decades ago, Earth became the target of random violent events originating in
outer space.
9. Câu nào dưới đây diễn đạt đúng nhất thông tin cần thiết trong câu sau? “Trái đất là một
mục tiêu trong một phòng trưng bày bắn súng vũ trụ, là đối tượng của các sự kiện bạo lực
ngẫu nhiên không thể ngờ vài thập kỷ trước”. Lựa chọn không chính xác làm thay đổi ý
nghĩa theo những cách quan trọng hoặc bỏ qua thông tin cần thiết.
A. Cho đến gần đây, không ai nhận ra rằng Trái đất đang phải hứng chịu những tác động
dữ dội không thể đoán trước từ không gian.
B. Trong vài thập kỷ gần đây, nguy cơ bị tác động bạo lực ngẫu nhiên từ không gian đã
tăng lên.
C. Vì hầu hết các sự kiện bạo lực trên Trái đất xảy ra một cách ngẫu nhiên, không ai có
thể đoán trước được khi nào hoặc ở đâu chúng sẽ xảy ra.
D. Một vài thập kỷ trước, Trái đất trở thành mục tiêu của các sự kiện bạo lực ngẫu nhiên
bắt nguồn từ ngoài không gian.
10. According to the passage, who conducted investigations about the current dangers
posed by large meteorite impacts on Earth?
A. Paleontologists
B. Geologists
C. The United States Congress
D. NASA
Clue: In 1991 the United States Congress asked NASA to investigate the hazard posed
today by large impacts on Earth= Năm 1991, Quốc hội Hoa Kỳ yêu cầu NASA điều tra
mối nguy hiểm gây ra ngày nay do những tác động lớn đến Trái đất.
Part 7
1. Paragraph A: ii
2. Paragraph B: vii
3. Paragraph C: iv
4. Paragraph D: i
5. Paragraph E: iii
6. FALSE
7. TRUE
8. NOT GIVEN
9. FALSE
10. TRUE
Advantages of public transport
A new study conducted for the World Bank by Murdoch University's Institute for
Science and Technology Policy (ISTP) has demonstrated that public transport is more
efficient than cars. The study compared the proportion of wealth poured into transport by
thirty-seven cities around the world. This included both the public and private costs of
building, maintaining and using a transport system.
The study found that the Western Australian city of Perth is a good example of a
city with minimal public transport. As a result, 17% of its wealth went into transport
costs. Some European and Asian cities, on the other hand, spent as little as 5%. Professor
Peter Newman, ISTP Director, pointed out that these more efficient cities were able to
put the difference into attracting industry and jobs or creating a better place to live.
According to Professor Newman, the larger Australian city of Melbourne is a
rather unusual city in this sort of comparison. He describes it as two cities: ‘A European
city surrounded by a car-dependent one’. Melbourne's large tram network has made car
use in the inner city much lower, but the outer suburbs have the same car-based structure
as most other Australian cities. The explosion in demand for accommodation in the inner
suburbs of Melbourne suggests a recent change in many people's preferences as to where
they live.
Newman says this is a new, broader way of considering public transport issues. In
the past, the case for public transport has been made on the basis of environmental and
social justice considerations rather than economics. Newman, however, believes the
study demonstrates that ‘the auto-dependent city model is inefficient and grossly
inadequate in economic as well as environmental terms’.
Bicycle use was not included in the study but Newman noted that the two most
‘bicycle friendly’ cities considered - Amsterdam and Copenhagen - were very efficient,
even though their public transport systems were ‘reasonable but not special’.
It is common for supporters of road networks to reject the models of cities with
good public transport by arguing that such systems would not work in their particular
city. One objection is climate. Some people say their city could not make more use of
public transport because it is either too hot or too cold. Newman rejects this, pointing out
that public transport has been successful in both Toronto and Singapore and, in fact, he
has checked the use of cars against climate and found ‘zero correlation’.
When it comes to other physical features, road lobbies are on stronger ground. For
example, Newman accepts it would be hard for a city as hilly as Auckland to develop a
really good rail network. However, he points out that both Hong Kong and Zürich have
managed to make a success of their rail systems, heavy and light respectively, though
there are few cities in the world as hilly.
A ii. A successful exercise in people power
In fact, Newman believes the main reason for adopting one sort of transport over
another is politics: ‘The more democratic the process, the more public transport is
favoured.’ He considers Portland, Oregon, a perfect example of this. Some years ago,
federal money was granted to build a new road. However, local pressure groups forced a
referendum over whether to spend the money on light rail instead. The rail proposal won
and the railway worked spectacularly well= Tuy nhiên, các nhóm gây áp lực địa phương
đã buộc một cuộc trưng cầu dân ý về việc có nên chi tiền cho đường sắt hạng nhẹ hay
không.. In the years that have followed, more and more rail systems have been put in,
dramatically changing the nature of the city. Newman notes that Portland has about the
same population as Perth and had a similar population density at the time.
B vii. Responding to arguments against public transport

In the UK, travel times to work had been stable for at least six centuries, with
people avoiding situations that required them to spend more than half an hour travelling
to work. Trains and cars initially allowed people to live at greater distances without
taking longer to reach their destination. However, public infrastructure did not keep pace
with urban sprawl, causing massive congestion problems which now make commuting
times far higher.= Tuy nhiên, cơ sở hạ tầng công cộng không bắt kịp với sự phát triển của
đô thị, gây ra các vấn đề tắc nghẽn nghiêm trọng khiến thời gian đi lại cao hơn rất nhiều.
C iv. Higher incomes need not mean more cars
 There is a widespread belief that increasing wealth encourages people to live
farther out where cars are the only viable transport. The example of European cities
refutes that. They are often wealthier than their American counterparts but have not
generated the same level of car use= Ví dụ của các thành phố châu Âu bác bỏ điều đó. Họ
thường giàu có hơn các đối tác Mỹ nhưng lại không tạo ra mức độ sử dụng ô tô như nhau.
In Stockholm, car use has actually fallen in recent years as the city has become larger and
wealthier. A new study makes this point even more starkly. Developing cities in Asia,
such as Jakarta and Bangkok, make more use of the car than wealthy Asian cities such as
Tokyo and Singapore. In cities that developed later, the World Bank and Asian
Development Bank discouraged the building of public transport and people have been
forced to rely on cars - creating the massive traffic jams that characterize those cities.
D i. Avoiding an overcrowded centre
Newman believes one of the best studies on how cities built for cars might be
converted to rail use is The Urban Village report, which used Melbourne as an example.
It found that pushing everyone into the city centre was not the best approach. Instead, the
proposal advocated the creation of urban villages at hundreds of sites, mostly around
railway stations.= Nó phát hiện ra rằng việc đẩy mọi người vào trung tâm thành phố
không phải là cách tiếp cận tốt nhất. Thay vào đó, đề xuất ủng hộ việc tạo ra các làng đô
thị tại hàng trăm địa điểm, chủ yếu xung quanh các ga đường sắt.
E iii. The benefits of working together in cities
It was once assumed that improvements in telecommunications would lead to
more dispersal in the population as people were no longer forced into cities. However, the
ISTP team's research demonstrates that the population and job density of cities rose or
remained constant in the 1980s after decades of decline. The explanation for this seems to
be that it is valuable to place people working in related fields together= Giải thích cho
điều này dường như là có giá trị khi đặt những người làm việc trong các lĩnh vực liên
quan lại với nhau. ‘The new world will largely depend on human creativity, and
creativity flourishes where people come together face-to-face.’
Part 8
1D 2C 3A 4D 5B 6D 7C 8B 9A

10B

Studying psychology

A
When I was at school and still considering whether to apply to do psychology, a teacher
warned me that it involved a great deal of science. I didn’t realise at the time, though, the
extent to which it does relate to science. Given the rather superficial understanding of
psychology that most non-specialists have, however, perhaps it’s to be expected that
people have little idea of the amount of science that it involves. But whatever area of
psychology you’re talking about - and there are many of them - I soon discovered that
there are always numbers, statistics, trials and evidence to get to grips with, and in the
process of doing so, you develop a repertoire of competencies.->Q3 When I first walked
into a psychology lecture and saw that every seat in the auditorium was taken, I was
stunned. I’ve got used to that over the three years of my degree and it’s reassuring in a
way to think that there are many other people my age who recognise both the practical
and sheer interest value to be gained from the subject.->Q9
B
When I tell people I’m studying psychology, they often say things like ‘Can you read my
mind, then?’ or ‘Can you give me some advice about a problem?’ This used to get on my
nerves. How could anyone be so ignorant, particularly given the large numbers of people
that study psychology? I tend to sec the humorous side of it these days, though. One plus
is the wide ground that psychology covers - more than most would imagine - from
genetics to the psychology of organisations->Q5 The latter might not sound very
glamorous, but it’s something that intrigues me greatly and, hopefully, is an area I can
find employment in at some point->Q10. Whatever aspect of psychology you look at,
however, it’s important to take a critical approach. That’s drummed into us from the word
go. We’re also always encouraged to work with other students, as well as on our own,
and to seek advice from °ur tutors whenever we’re faced with anything we feel we can’t
deal with by ourselves->Q8. This has been tremendous lor me personally.
C
At school, the idea of being a doctor had always appealed to me. A few months into my
first year studying medicine, however, 1 began to feel that I wasn’t suited to it after all,
and 1 managed to switch to psychology. It was quite traumatic, giving up the prospect of
a great career and disappointing my parents. They had very little idea about what my new
subject involved and whether I’d learn anything from it that could set me up for a good
job. To be honest, I was far from convinced myself initially. With hindsight, however, I
know I did the right thing, and 1 derive a certain satisfaction from having gone ahead
with the move->Q7. Frankly, it puzzles me why more people don’t end up doing the
same. There’s so much to psychology, including a scientific emphasis, which, given my
background, I’m comfortable with. It can take you down all sorts of exciting career
paths.->Q2

D
It would be wrong to say that I had a clear idea about what a psychology degree entailed
when I applied to do one, but I think 1 made the right choice. At school, I loved science
and I was advised that, although people often don’t think of psychology as a science, it
would suit me - and that proved to be the case. One thing about my degree is that it’s
incredibly diverse. The terms neuro-, educational, forensic, clinical and sports, for
example, all precede psychology to describe well-established fields, and I must admit
that, initially, I found this somewhat overwhelming.->Q1 I also struggled with the notion
that any idea or ‘fact’ has to be endlessly cross-examined and debated, to the extent that
you doubt whether you know anything for certain->Q4. This still irritates me sometimes,
but I can live with it. I’m in my third year now, and doing a project which involves some
research and then delivering a presentation and submitting a written report. It’s complex,
but doing it on my own is exciting and has made me think about a career in which
research plays a part.->Q6

Part 9
41 G. The previous paragraphs mentions the advantages, and this one immediately
introduces the downside, so the narrative is easy to trace.
42 В. It is easier to have a look at a paragraph that follows this one — it starts with “The
writer …”, suggesting that the previous paragraph introduced a writer and possibly a
book. Paragraph B is the only one fitting this description.
4З А. The preceding paragraphs numbers the downsides of the Internet in contrast with
the advantages of more conventional reading from a book. Then this paragraph suggests
that despite of all the downsides, the web offers best possibility for quick and efficient
learning: “… a medium that would rewire our mental circuits as quickly and thoroughly
as possible… “
44 D. The paragraph before focuses on how a brain can me “malleable” — or able to
change. Then Paragraph D continues and expands the idea by explaining and giving
examples. The next paragraph starts with “When I ask him… “ it is clear that ‘he’ is Dr.
Small.
45 F. At the very end of Paragraph F online games are mentioned. The paragraph that
follows continues this idea with the example of Second Life virtual world type of game.
46 C. The game talk continues and Dr. Small explains how playing a game can be
beneficial for your thinking: “you have to pay an incredible amount of attention to what
your team-mates are doing, to the mechanics of the game”